Fertility Options for Transgender Men and Women

At Palm Beach Fertility Center, we believe that anyone who wants to become a parent, regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation, should be granted the right to experience their dreams of becoming a parent. Although the road to parenthood is often different for LGBTQ couples, we treat these individuals with the respect and dignity they deserve in what can be a very emotional time. Among transgender men and women, fertility preservation or restoration is possible, even if they are taking hormone replacement therapy.

However, it is still important for trans men and women to enlist the help of a fertility specialist should they decide they want to have biological children, especially if they are on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Infertility is not universal among transgender individuals who are on HRT, but it helps to receive fertility counseling to have the best odds at conceiving.

Reproductive Options for Trans Women

The topic of having children can be dicey for trans women, simply because in the vast majority of cases, they must discontinue any HRT to successfully conceive. Trans women (assigned male at birth, also called “AMAB”), who take estrogen HRT often have difficulty conceiving a child with a cisgender female partner. This is because AMAB individuals who undergo gender-affirming therapy often have too much estrogen to produce viable sperm, and HRT can irreparably damage the testicles. Fertility specialists recommend trans women to discontinue taking estrogen to restore fertility, and better yet, to have their sperm preserved prior to starting hormone therapy.

There is current research being done on uterine transplantation for trans women, however, this technology is still in its infancy and has not yet proven successful, even in cisgender women born without a uterus.

Reproductive Options for Trans Men

By contrast, trans men (assigned female at birth, or “AFAB”), may have an easier chance of conceiving a biological child than their trans women counterparts, as long as their ovaries and uterus are still functional. Trans men often cease to menstruate, and they may no longer produce viable eggs. Trans men who wish to become parents may opt to preserve their ovarian tissue prior to starting HRT, and later, a pregnancy may be transplanted to the trans man’s uterus or a surrogate, gestational carrier.

Trans men may also wish to discontinue testosterone therapy, as 80% of trans men who do so resume menstruating within 6 months of stopping HRT. Trans men who do become pregnant usually are treated by their obstetrician in the same manner as a cisgender woman and go on to bear healthy babies.

Considering Starting a Family? Contact Palm Beach Fertility Center for LGBTQ+ Fertility Counseling.

Each trans man or woman faces their own personal and biological obstacles when they decide to have their own children. At Palm Beach Fertility Center, we cater our LGBTQ+ fertility treatments to each unique individual, while treating trans men and women with dignity and respect, including respecting their gender identity.

Palm Beach Fertility Center is an LGBTQ+-friendly office. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you conceive.